This game was introduced to me at Camp Woolsey, the Ottawa Area Girl Guide Camp. As far as I know it was created by Pat Barker, a Guider in the Ottawa Area, so the credit really should go to her. At any rate, this is a fabulous wide game which the girls love, even though it does take a while to set up.

The premise is that the girls are settlers heading to a new land. They travel in wagons of 4-6 girls (tent groups or patrols work well!) Each wagon is given a bag with:

1 Axel Repair Kit - a long (30 inch) piece of string.

1 Flag Kit - a square of cloth and 2 crayons.

1 First Aid Kit - 2 strips of cloth or gauze

1 Magic Charm Kit - 3 20-inch pieces of coloured wool.

They follow a trail of different-coloured wool (i.e. Blue Lake Trail - blue wool, Golden Road - gold wool, etc.) and go from point to point until they have visited the 6 points and followed the instructions on each card (i.e. Nameless Hollow has a scout which captures one girl from the wagon, Dry Gulch Water Hole has Sal with candy or cookies). Note, you will always know where Beaver Swamp is, from the screams!

One tent (usually the first finished with a duty) sets out the game and the girls then are at the stations (they pick up the game after, too). Then the rest of the tents are all the wagons, sent off at about 5-minute intervals. The game takes about an hour but it can be longer, if the girls really get into it. Guiders and Pathfinders like it and Sr. Branch girls love to set it up and be the stations. Have fun!

Materials Needed:

Supply bags for each tent filled with the items listed above

Trails: pieces of wool in each of the following colours: blue, gold, red, rust and green

Cookies, candy or trail mix for Sal

Old lipstick or washable marker for the Swamp Bug

Small garbage bag for Sue

Rope for Scout

You are one in a wagon train of settlers headed for a new home. Your supply bag should contain:

1 Axel Repair Kit - a long piece of string

1 Flag Kit - a square of cloth and 2 crayons

1 First Aid Kit - 2 strips of gauze or cloth

1 Magic Charm Kit - 3 pieces of coloured wool

Follow the trail of different coloured wool. There are instructions along the way to help you overcome the various hardships. We want all wagons to arrive safely so do not disturb any trail markers, and please keep everything you are carrying, or pick up along the way, and put everything into your supply bag. Collect dead leaves and/or grass and think of a name for your wagon as you follow the "Blue Lake Trail". Have a safe journey...

The rough road has broken your axle, so get out your repair kit and find 2 sticks (don't damage any trees), and lash them together.

Follow the "Golden Road".

You cannot pass this point without a flag and a name for your wagon! Use your kit to make one and fasten it to your stick. Yell out the name of your wagon. Someone must carry your flag at all times on the trail.

Follow the "Red River Trail".

(On the back of the card: The Nameless Hollow Scout lies in wait and captures one girl from the wagon and holds her hostage until the name of the wagon and the flag is clearly flown.)

The youngest girl has fallen out of the tree. Her ankle is hurt. Bandage it with your First-Aid Kit and carry her on a "hand-seat" to get help at Dry Gulch Water Hole, which is 20 paces in the direction of the arrow.

(Lay an arrow on the ground, pointing in the direction of the next station.)

Use the leaves and grass you have collected to get help and supplies from Dry Gulch Sal.

Follow the "Rusty Nail Road".

(On the back of the card: Dry Gulch Sal has wrapped candy or cookies and a water jug for exchange for leaves or grass the girls have gathered along the way.)

Beware of the Swamp Fever Bug! The only way to fend her off is with a magic charm. Use your Magic Charm Kit and sticks to make a "god's eye" and fasten it to your flag. Stay away from the Swamp Fever Bug as you follow the "Green Forest Trail"!

(On the back of the card: the Bug has a lipstick or a washable marker to mark spots on those she can catch.)

You have all been bitten by a snake. To cure your snake bite, you must take all of the things left in your supply bag to Snake Bite Sue in exchange for the serum.

(On the back of the card: Sue checks the bag for candy wrappers; if none, the girls return and pick them up. Check bag for all pieces - 2 pieces of gauze or fabric, square of cloth, 2 crayons, string and wool (dismantled from lashing and "god's eye"). If bags are in order the girls are cured and can return to site.)

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